Film inspection and printing system



Oct. 12, 1943.

A. c. BLANEY 2,331,451

FILM INSPECTION AND PRINTING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 24, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 I I I I O ZJ1 13 I 5 a 147 F Ill {I I I I l I IXVXJ KIX'IZI IXI I 25 27 41 a 42 52 l LA 36 34- as 50/; f ,1, IIHIIIL a C wmacil 'on 8 OX. 'I

. ART/7711?. aBLA/VEX,

Oct. 12, 1943. A. c. BLANEY 2,331,451

FILM INSPECTION AND PRINTING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 24, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 Second To Fii-st 34 Ff/m Sly/ ch HZ Swift/z commune/noun;

JYWV/MM ARTHUR C. BLANEY,

Patented Oct. 12, 194?:

2,331,451 FILM INSPECTION AND PRINTING SYSTEM Arthur C. Blaney, Los Angelcs, Oalih, assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application August 24, 1940, Serial No. 353,992

17 Claims.

This invention rel-ates to motion picture apparatus and particularly to apparatus employed in the intermediate process of printing motion picture film.

It is well known in the art of a motion picture production that the final picture includes a large number of picture and sound sequences photographed and recorded at difierent times. The final positive prints are made from a series of negative sequences spliced together to form reels or rolls Since these negative sequences are made under various light conditions and with different cameras and recorders, it is generally true that the average light transmission varies from sequence to sequence of the negative reel. In the process of printing, the positive print may be given a. uniform light transmission by varying the printing light in accordance with the light transmission variations in the negative. This is also desirable in the printing of sound tracks of a type which lend themselves to this treatment since the average sound level is thus made constant.

At present, the process of varying the printing light according to the photographic density of the negative sequences has been accomplished by first determining the average density of each sequence, then noting on a cue sheet the light I intensity required to properly print the particular sequence, and finally adjusting the printing light to the required intensity during the printing operation. The step of determining the average density of each sequence involves the actual printing of a test' strip of several frames of each sequence at different light intensities and then inspecting these test strips for quality. The best light intensity is thus chosen and marked on the one sheet. The negative is generally notched near each splice when the scenes are spliced together, and as the notch passes through a filmoperated switch, the light source is increased or decreased in intensity according to the difierence in density between the succeeding sequencies. The variations in the light source may be accomplished by the insertion of resistances in the energy supply for the printing lamp or by vary-.

synchronism with the negative or in step with the sequences therein, automatically varies the light source. making the printing tests and the personal inspection of these test strips by an experienced operator, and any errors in his judgment are reflected in the printed positive.

The present invention is directed to a printing system which permits an operator to instantly view the negative as an enlarged positive and to permit him to vary the brightness of the reproduced positive to obtain the optimum value of density suitable for the particular scene being depicted. The operator may also vary the contrast of the reproduced positive so as to permit him to obtain the proper light exposure and developing time for enhancing the dramatic efiect of the scenes. The system may be operated by first inspecting the negative and punching a control film in accordance with the desired light values required, or the system may be continuous, wherein the operator may inspect the sequences during the printing operation. The invention thereby eliminates considerable time and guess work on the part of the inspector by permitting him to preview the negative as it will appear after the positive raw stock has been printed and processed.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to facilitate the printing of motion picture film.

Another object of the invention is to facilitate the testing of a negative to determine the optimum printing exposure required.

A further object of the invention is to facilitate the punching of a printer control film for controlling the printer exposure light.

A further object of the invention is to transpose the negative scene into a positive before the printing operation.

A further object of the invention is to instantly create the negative scene as a positive scene and to vary the brightness and contrast of the positive to the optimum values.

A further object of the invention is to provide a continuous automatic printing system whereby the negative is inspected as a positive during the printing operation.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the appended claims, the manner of its organization and the mode of its operation will be better understood by referring to the following description read in This practice, however, requires film, the contact 53 is maintained conjunction with. the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic arrangement of a negative film. inspection apparatus embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a printing system operating with a control film made with the system of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a continuous inspection and printing system embodymg the invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View of a control film; and

Figure 5 is a detailed view of a modification of the printer light control shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now to Fig. 1, a negative film 5 comprising a series of various sequences of different densities is shown being supplied from a reel i5 and taken up by a reel l, the film being advanced by a sprocket 8, preferably intermittent, driven by a motor it energized from any suitable source, such as represented b a battery ii. The motor it is under control of a contact i3 of a film-operated switch it and a contact it of a manually operated switch il. As mentioned above, the negative film, generally at the time of splicing, punched at the beginning or end of each sequence, such as shown by the notch it in film 5. As the switch ill rides along the closed and the motor id advances the film 5. When the switch it drops into the notch 19, the contact I3 is broken and the motor stops, thus stopping the movement of the film. When it is desired to further advance the film 5, the switch I? is operated, closing contact I6, which starts the motor sufficiently to operate switch it and close contact l3. The switch i6 may then becpened and the negative film 5 will continue to advance.

The negative film 5 is advanced in front of an electron camera 28 which may be a television transmitter-and-receiver unit made up of an iconoscope-and-kinescope combination. As the negative passes one end of the camera 20, a positive image thereof is created on the fluorescent screen of the kinescope as shown at 22.

This positive image may be much larger than the negative picture for better and quicke inspection. A dial 26 on the control panel of the camera permits the operator to vary the brightness of the image produced at 22 through the circuit including an amplifier 25, while a dial 2S permits the operator to vary the contrast of the image 22 through the circuit including an amplifier 21. Various brightness and contrast control circuits are well known in the art, one type being disclosed in U. S. Patent 2,124,394 of July 19, 1938. ness of the image is by linearly varying the potential on one of the kinescope electrode to vary the speed of the electrons while contrast is com trolled by varying the point of modulation along the curved portion of the characteristic of one of the amplifiers as described in the above patent.

Also located on the control panel of the camera is a plurality of switch buttons, four of which are shown at 30. These buttons are connected by respective conductors 3| to a solenoid operated punching device 32. Running through the punch 32 is a contrfol strip or film 34 fed from a reel 35 and taken up by a reel 36. The film 34 is advanced by a sprocket 38 which is operated by a solenoid 39 through a pawl-andratchet assembly having a ratchet Wheel 4| and One method of controlling bright-' a ainst a pawl (l2. The armature of the solenoid 39 is in the form of a rack 36 which meshes with a pinion gear 55. Thus, upon energization of the solenoid 39, the rack Gd is pulled to the right, rotating the gear 65 which rotates the ratchet ii in a counter-clockwise direction. Since the pawl 62 is keyed to the sprocket 33, the sprocket will be rotated sufficiently to advance the film 3 1 one frame. Upon deenergization, a spring il returns the rack 36 to its normal position, rotation of the ratchet ii in a clockwise direction not producing any movement of the pawl 32.

The solenoid is energized from any suitable source of power, such as a battery 69 upon the closing of contact 5% of the manual switchil. Thus, when it is desired to advance the film a l one frame, it is only necessary to close contact 50, and the film will be so ad anced.

The operation of the above system will now be explained. The negative film 5 is threaded between the reels 6 and i, and the motor ii! is started by closing switch il after a control film 34 has been threaded between the reels 35 and 36. When the first sequence notch such as notch i9 reaches switch i i, the negative will be stopped and the inspector may then view a negative picture in the sequence as reproduced at 22 in positive light values. If the positive image does not appear in the proper brightness, the operator may vary the density or brightness of the image by his dial it. The dial 2% is calibrated in printing exposure intensity so that the inspector-operator will know what value of exposure light is required to produce the same quality of the positive film print. He then presses one or more of the keys 3!] in accordance with the exposure required, and certain holes will be punched in the film 34 as shown in Fig. 4. In this figure, three frames of a control film are shown to illustrate three different exposure light values. There are four holes 52 in frame A; three holes 53 inframe B; and three holes 5 in frame C,

but differently arranged than in frame B. Thus, each combination of holes will, as will be explained hereinafter, produce a particular printing light exposure.

Although the brightness control is generally sufficient to determine the proper printing exposure for the average scene, it y is sometimes desirable to vary the contrast of certain portions of a scene to bring out certain details thereof. To determine what the developing time should be to accomplish this result, the operator may vary dial 26 to change the contrast of the image. This will enhance the dramatic effect of the scene.

After the film 36 has been punched and it is desired to move to the next sequence, the operator simply closes switch I! which starts the motor It), as described above, and also advances the film 34 one frame by closing contact 50. The motor will then continue to advance the negative until the next film notch is encountered by the switch I which, of course, will be the next sequence to be inspected. Thus, the inspector is provided with a system for accurately testing and inspecting a negative film and for quickly cueing a control film, the system providing a method of previewing the negative film as it will appear after the printing step has been completed.

Referring now to Fig. 2, in which the printing operation is shown, the negative film 5 is supplied from a reel 56 which passes through a film contact switch 51 well known in the art, around a printing drum 58 and to a takeup reel 59. Positive film stock 60 is supplied from a reel 6i and taken up by. a reel 62 in any well known manner, the positive film stock 60 and negative film contacting at the translation point shown by the ray line 64 from a light source 65.

The controlfilm 34 is supplied from a reel 61 around a roller 68 over a drive sprocket 69 to a takeup reel 10. The sprocket 69 is driven intermittently one frame length upon each energization of a solenoid I2 in the same manner as shown in Fig. 1 by the relay 39. The pawl-and-ratchet mechanism is the same as shown in Fig. 1 and will therefore not be further described. The solenoid I2 is energized from a battery I3 upon the closing of its circuit at film switch 51 in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 1 by switch I4. Further- I more, the same film notches represented by notch I9 may be utilized to actuate the relay 12 in the printing operation.

The amount of light passing to the negative 5 from the lamp 65 is under control of a series of aperture or mask plates I4 having different-sized apertures. Each aperture plate or mask I4 is under control of one of several solenoids I5 energized from a suitable source of power, such as a battery "I6. The solenoids I5 are connected through a connection box 11 to film-controlled switches, one circuit of which is shown as including a spring I9, a roller 68, a roller 80 and conductors I8. The roller 80 bears upon the film 34 as it passes over the metallic roller 68, and whenever one ofthe holes 52, 53 or 54 is immediately under the roller, the roller will contact the film roller 68 and a circuit will be made to the respective solenoid I5 through spring contact I9. Although only one film switch circuit is shown, it is to be understood that any number may be arranged in accordance with the number of holes punched in the film, while other types of impulse generators may be employed. Thus, as each frame is advanced around the roller 68, the aperture masks 14 will be adjusted to vary the light passing from the lamp 65 to the negative 5 in accordance with the punches therein.

- tion.

Referring now to Fig. 3, a continuous printing system is disclosed wherein the use of a light control film is eliminated. In this system a negative 85 passes in front of an electron camera 86 of the type shown in Fig. 1 from a reel 81 to a takeup reel 88, the negative film passing over a sprocket 89 controlled by a brake 90 through a film elevator 9| having movable rollers 92, through a film switch 93 and over a printing sprocket or drum 94. The positive film 96 is advanced in contact with the negative 85 from a supply reel 91 to a takeup reel 98. The negative film 85 is maintained in taut loops around the elevator rollers by a movable weight I09 connected to the support for rollers 92 over idler rollers IOI.

In the present system the negative 85 is advanced by the printer driving sprockets in any well known manner, the film passing the camera 86 at the normal printing speed. However, when a notch, such as shown at I03, is encountered by a switch I94, contact is made at I05. The making of this contact energizes the brake 90 through the battery I06 which stops the sprocket 89 and,

thus, the negative film in front of the camera 86.

purlng this stop period, the inspector-operator ,will make his adjustments to determine the printing exposure required. However, instead of the brightness dial being on the control panel as at 24 in Fig. 1, it is now in a control board I99 wherein a plurality of sliders III are adjustable to control the resistance between the conductors II2. This control board has a dropping contact device II4 under control of an impulse relay IIB so that each impulse supplied to the relay will release the contact device I I4 and let it drop and connect conductors H2 through an amount of resistance determined by the setting of the respective sliders III. The relay is energized ov r conductors I3I from film switch I04.

The conductors II2 are connected to the kinescope portion of the camera 86 through amplifier H9, and variations of the particular slider connected across conductors I I2 will vary the brightness of the image at I08 as described in the above-identified patent disclosure. The operator thus varies the particular slider opposite the contactor IM to control the brightness of the image at I08. The camera 86 is also supplied with a contrast control dial II'I connected in a circuit including amplifier II8, similar to the dial 26 and amplifier 21 of Fig. 1.

In addition to the control board I09 there is also provided a duplicate control board I2I having a relay I22, a contactor I23 and a plurality of sliders I24. Connected through the resistance values controlled by the position of sliders I24 is the energy supply I21 for the lamp I26. The contactor I23 connects the lamp I26 through battery I21 in series with a certain amount of resistance determined by the position of the sliders I24 as the contactor I23 is dropped by impulses arriving at the relay I22. Impulses are impressed on the relay I22 over conductors I39 from an energy source I28 under control of the film contact switch 93. The switch 93 is actuated by the notches in the negative, such as represented at I09. The contactor N4 of control board I99 is dropped by relay II5 when energized over conductors I3I from battery I06 when contact I05 is actuated by the notch.

It will be noted that not only are control boards I99 and I 2I similar, but that the corresponding sliders on each control board are mechanically connected, as shown by the broken lines, so that when the operator moves any one of the sliders III on board I09, the corresponding slider I24 is also adjusted. Thus, the adjustment of one of the sliders I I I, in accordance with the density of a certain sequence stopped by a notch like I03, will likewise be made on the corresponding slider of sliders I 24 so that when notch I03 reaches switch 93, the intensity of the light source I26 will be in accordance with the adjustment of the slider on board I09.

The operation of the above continuous inspection and printing system will now be explained. After the negative film and positive film stock are threaded through the printing machine, the printer is started and the negative is advanced past the camera 86. When the first notch such as I03 arrives at the switch I04, the negative in front of the camera 86 will be stopped by operation of the brake 90. The printer, however, will continue to operate, taking its film from the elevator 9I by raising the weight I09. During this stopping period, the inspector varies thethe first slider of board lZl. When this is accomplished, the operator then closes manuallyoperated contact Hi3, which releases the brake 90 by energy supplied from a battery ta l. The film then continues to be advanced and the elevator is again filled by the falling of weight mil.

When the notch m3 arrives at the film switch 93, the contact l23 will be dropped to the first slider adjustment and the lamp G26 will have an intensity for properly printing that particular sequence. The negative film continues to pass the camera 86 until the next notch is encountered, which again stops the negative for inspection. Simultaneously with the closing of contact N5, the relay H5 is energized from battery I06, and the contactor lid of board I89 drops to the next resistance slider ill. The operator thus manipulates the second slider on board lll9,'which correspondingly adjusts the secbnd slider on board It! to prepare the board B2B for the next light exposure. By the use of the elevator system Si and the mechanical interconnection of the sliders ill and PM, the inspector may adjust board l2! in advance for three or four sequences. This is particularly desirable since printing speeds are up to as high as 180 ft. per minute and some sequences are only a few feet long. It is thus necessary to have a system in which the inspector may get ahead of the printer by three or four adjustments to give him time to make the necessary inspection of the shorter sequences in the negative reel. This also provides sumcient time to permit contrast inspections if desired.

The present continuous printing system thus utilizes the iconoscope-kinescope combination for testing and inspecting a negative as an enlarged positive from both the brightness and contrast standpoints. It also eliminates the preparation and use of a control film, the test films, and associate control apparatus. The time required to make better prints is thus shortened.

Referring now to Fig. 5, a control board M6 is shown having sliders Ml and two contacting elements Hi2 and 33. This board also-has two relays H34 and Hi5. Instead of the two boards 809 and l2l of Fig. 3, such a single control board Hi may be substituted by connecting relay M to the film switch ltd and connecting relay Hill to the film switch 93 of Fig. 3. The relay H35, corresponding to relay N5 of board W9, controls the contactor i 53, corresponding to contactor H 1, while the relay Md, corresponding to relay I22, controls the contactor I62, corresponding to contactor I23. Thus, the operator operates the slider opposite the contactor M3 in making his adjustments for brightness of the image at I08 and the contactor M2 picks up these adjustments as the film notches reach the film switch 93. Such a system thus utilizes a single resistance board instead of two boards as shown in Fig. 3.

The above iconoscope-kinescope combination has been described as providing a preview of the negative as an enlarged positive. Although ordinarily the combination would produce another negative, the kinescope connections are such as to shift the phase of the image 180 to produce a positive image. The size of this positive image is only limited by the SiZe of the kinescope.

In the above description, the apparatus for projecting the negative images on the iconoscope mosaic has not been shown for the sake of clear= ness, such apparatus being well known in the art.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a film printing system the combination of means for instantaneously viewing negative images on .a film as positive images, a source of light, positive film stock, means for maintaining said negative film and aid positive film stock in contact, means for controlling the exposure of said positive film stock to said source of light as determined by the brightness of said positive images, and means for varying the brightness of said positive images, said means simultaneously adjusting said exposure controlling means.

2. A film printing system for printing a negative film to positive raw stock comprising a light source, means for printing said negativev film to said positive raw stock with light from said source, mean for viewing the images on said negative film as positive images before the printing thereof to said positive stock, and means for varying the brightness of said positive images and simultaneously adjusting the printing light intensity of said source.

3. A film printer in accordance with claim 2 in which said viewing means comprises an electron camera adapted to reproduce said negative images as positive images, and said last-mentioned means for varying the brightness of said positive images determines the printing light intensity required to produce similar positive images on said raw stock.

4. In a motion picture film test system, the combination of means for instantaneously viewing negative film images as positive images, a control film, means for cueing said control film in accordance with the variations made in the brightness of said positive image, means for automatically stopping said negative film at predetermined positions, means for advancing said control film a predetermined amount, and means for manually starting the advancement of said negative film while simultaneously energizing said control 'film advancing means.

5. In a continuous film printer adapted to print a negative film to positive film stock, means for continuously advancing said film at a printing point, means for controlling the advancingoi said film prior to said printing point, electronic means for instantaneously creating the images on said negative film as positive images, manual means for varying the brightness of said positive images, and means for controlling the exposure of said positive film, said last-mentioned means being connected with said manual brightness varying means whereby variations made in the brightness of said positive images adjust said exposure varying means.

6. A continuous film printer in accordance with claim 5 in which said last-mentioned means comprises a plurality of adjustable resistance units adapted to be connected to said electronic means, and means provided for stopping said negative film at predetermined intervals prior to the printing point, said means connecting one of said resistance units to said electronic means.

7. A continuous testing and printing system for printing a negative film to a positive film stock comprising means for light exposing said positive film stock through said negative film, means for varying said light exposure, means for instantaneously reproducing during said light exposing the negative images on said negative film as positive images, means for varying the brightness of said positive images, and means for controlling said exposure varying means by said brightness varying means.

8. A continuous testing and printing system in accordance with claim 7 in which'said means for instantaneously reproducing the negative images as positive images comprises an iconoscope-kinesccpe combination adapted to reverse the light values of the scanned negative images.

9. A continuous testing and printing system in accordance with claim 7 in which said lastmentioned means comprises a pair of variable tapped resistance control boards, the resistances oi. one of said boards being connected to said brightness varying means and the resistances of said other board controlling said light exposure, corresponding taps of each of said boards being adapted to be adjusted simultaneously.

10. A continuous testing and printing system advancing means.

in accordance with claim 7 in which a variable images on aid negative film as positive images,

means for automatically stopping said negative film as each sequence arrives at said positive image reproducing means, means for varying the brightness of said positive images of each sequence to the light intensity required tor said positive images, means for cueing said cue film in accordance with the brightness variations made to said positive images, and means for simultaneously advancing said cue film one frame and starting the advance of said negative film.

12. A negative,v film testing system comprising means for advancing a negative film consisting of a series of sequences of images of different average light densities, means for instantaneously reproducing the negative images on said negative film as positive images, means for varying the brightness of said positive images of each sequence to the light intensity required for said positive images, and means for automatically stopping each 0! said sequences as it arrives at said positive image reproducing means.

13. A system for printing a series '01 negative film images to positive film stock comprising means for advancing said negative film and said positive film stock in contact, means for reproducing said negative images as positive images,

said means including means for varying the qualvarying means for adjusting said exposure-varying means in accordance with variations made in the quality of said positive images.

14. A ystem in accordance with claim 13 in which automatic means are provided for stopping said negative film advancing means at predetermined positions, and manual means are provided for starting said negative film advancing means independently of said positive film stock 15. A negative film printing system comprising means for advancing a negative film consisting of a series of sequences of images of different light densities, means for advancing positive film stock in contact with said negative film, means for reproducing the negative images on said negative film as positive images for observation, means for varying the brightness of said positive images to an intensity required for the scene depicted by said positive images, means for controlling the exposure of said'positive stock at the contact point of said films, and means under control of said brightness varying means for adjusting said exposure-controlling means.

16. A system comprising means for advancing a negative motion picture film consisting of a series of equences of images of different light densities, means for reproducing the negative images on said negative film as positive images for observation, means for varying the brightness of said positive images to an intensity required for the scene depicted by said positive images, means adjustable in accordance with the variation made in the brightness of said positive images for determining a subsequent exposure of a positive film stock through said negative film, and means associated with said last-mentioned means for adjusting a light beam to a value which will expose said positive film stock through said negative images to produce positive images on said stock of the same quality as said reproduced positive images.

17. In a system for producing a record of the exposure of a positive film to a negative film consisting of a series of sequences of images of different light intensities, the combination of means for advancing a negative film, means for reproducing the negative images on aid negative film as positive images for observation, means for varying the brightness of said positive images of 'each sequence to the light intensity required for the scene depicted by said positive images, means for producing a record of said variations in brightness to control the exposure of a positive film stock to light through said negative images, means for selecting the particular negative images to be reproduced as positive images, and means for simultaneously advancing said negative film and'said record after said record has been made for each particular negative image.

ARTHUR C. BLANEY. 

